S.A.’s Samantha Plasencia is safe on “Project Runway” and supports the night’s winner

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The suspense is over. After Thursday’s “Project Runway” season opener S.A. designing woman Samantha Plasencia, (in photo at left) a contestant on the reality show that premiered its 13th season, survived the first challenge and is safe for next week’s competition. Go Team Sam!

Below is a photo of Plasencia with mentor Tim Gunn discussing her ideas for the first challenge to create a garment that would represent her spring collection for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week should she make it to the finals. Her look, a top and trousers constructed of black knit fabric was sophisticated and chic and so seamless that these separates almost acted like one impeccable piece, Plasencia’s clever intention. The top was especially modern with a slight and soft asymmetric neckline that morphed into an elegant over-the-shoulder elongated wrap on one side. A black and white headband highlighted a tight top-knot coif.

Judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen and guest judge, television star Julie Bowen placed Plasencia’s look in the middle meaning she wasn’t among the top three or the bottom three and made it to next week’s show.

In a voice over Plasencia said she didn’t mind at all that she went with an all black knit look. “I love the look and really want to be safe and move onto the next challenge,” she said.

In an earlier interview with me, Plasencia, a visual merchandiser at Julian Gold who is back in S.A. after filming wrapped earlier this week, said this was her third time to tryout for the show. Her audition took place months ago in Atlanta where she spent two days before producers and past “Project Runway” designers who chatted her up and reviewed five garments she designed.

Thursday night’s show was a shocker with four designers sent home, including three at the top of the show, among them fellow Texan Emmanuel Tobias, 29, of Dallas, in a twist that had all of them auditioning one last time before Klum, Garcia and Posen.

In the designer’s room where the contestants are sent after a runway presentation to sit on sofas and critique the top three and bottom three contestants, Plasencia said she hoped Sandhya Garg’s dyed dress with a frayed hemline and pointed and curled cut-outs at the shoulders would win the challenge while several designers doubted Garg had any talent at all. One of the designers, Korina Emmerich, asked Plasencia: “If you saw that dress on a rack Sam would you buy it?” Plasencia responded with a facial expression that clearly said she wasn’t changing her mind about Garg, who — guess what? — was the night’s big winner.

When the top three contestants joined Plasencia and the others in the “middle” group, everyone — except Plasencia — seemed surprised that Garg had won. But Garg was polite and respectful and found an ally in Plasencia who bravely told Garg in front of the other contestants: “I was the only one that called that. Everyone else thought you were on the bottom. I knew you were gonna win.” Then Plasencia reached over to clasp hands with the champion. A sour-faced Emmerich later told the camera: “Sandhya is the winner. So I’m totally confused. I have no clue anymore what the judges are looking for.”

Say what, girl? This is just the first show.

Sadly designer Jefferson Musanda was sent packing. The bottom photo features the cast at the start of the show, minus a returning past designer, Amanda Valentine.

I’m looking forward to next week’s episode and more from Plasencia, especially a little more camera time in the workroom. And I can’t wait to figure out what Tim Gunn means when he said in a promo at the end of Thursday night’s show: “This is nothing if not the season of the vagina.”